It’s Women’s History Month, and as the world celebrates groundbreaking women and womanhood overall – as it should– social media has offered a reminder to take a step back, relax and enjoy the moments.
Perhaps you’ve seen posts with a hashtag or reference to “soft life.” Many posts feature women living their best lives on vacation, treating themselves to baths, or even taking it easy at work, with the caption using the phrase “soft life.”
But what does soft life mean?
Women work hard. There’s a reason why barrier-breaking Grammy winner and superstar Beyoncé sang “Who run the world? Girls!”
While the respect for the grind is real, after the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and years of watching hardworking women wear themselves thin, this generation is now introducing the idea of a soft life, where one intentionally works to avoid stress and embrace ease.
The idea of a soft life is easier said than done. I mean, how does one choose to live stress-free with bills, babies, bosses, deadlines and more?
However, there’s something empowering in being conscious about how to react to and deal with life’s stress factors. It also can be uplifting when being deliberate about the decisions and activities that truly offer peace and joy.
Life be life-ing. Stress is inevitable, but there are little and big choices that can make a difference in how hard life hits when it punches – and how easy you fight back. Meditating, taking a long bath, going on that bucket list vacation, treating yourself to a solo date, or quitting that job that doesn’t serve you to pursue your dream business are all versions of the soft life.
Although it remains that there’s nothing like a “Strong Black Woman,” this March and forward, consider embracing aspects of the soft life. Make it a practice. You won’t regret it.